PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

a church. As yet, and for sixteen years to follow, the only place available was a room in Mr. Richardson’s house, fitted up to serve the purpose. But his reign was a brief one for eight months later Governor Patterson returned and assumed control.

In view of the strained relations which existed between Governor Patterson and Lieut.-Governor DesBrisay, and of the gen- eral conditions as outlined above, it is not surprising that when the Rector, at that time aged twenty-five, took to himself a young wife, he turned his back on Charlottetown and settled at Covehead, on the ex- treme northern border of his parish, where he remained for the next twenty years.

There was much then to justify his choice. Lacking roads, water carriage was the main dependence and travel had perforce to follow the rivers and along the coast.

(Note C.) Covehead was the point on the

North Shore that lay nearest to Charlotte- town and midway between Princetown and Malpeque on, the west and St. Peters and Three RiVers on the east. The first passable road was opened some years later between Covehead and‘Charlottetown, along the line of blazed trees which marked the foot path that ran through the forest. The Rector when first going there would proceed by canoe up East River to its head, cross over to Savage Harbour and complete the journey by boat. It was believed at that time that Princetown would outrival Charlottetown. It was ad- mirably situated as.a base from which to prosecute the Gulf fisheries and the energies

No" C.—The followin extract from the diary of Ben). Choppell who was leaving ew London to settle at Charlotte- town. will bring this fact more gra hlcally before the reader. “Set sail 3d Oct., 1718. Reach Lawson‘s Sundav 4th. Reached St. Peters Mondn , the 5th. Reached East Point 6 a. m., blowing at North est. la to untilé s. 11]., ran before wind to Gut of Cause reached 1 :30 p. m. Sle t there three nights. Left Canso Friday. 9th. 10 a. m. Rene ed Pictou Isl- and Saturday night. anchored of! Point Prim 10 p. m. Sundav night made the Pbrt and got ashore in the King's boat." Thus it took him nine days to reach Charlottetown from

Malpeque.

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of the Proprietors of Lot 18, who as early as this had brought out over two hundred settlers, who had done much to strengthen this idea. Moreover, proximity to Prince- town had a personal significance to the Rec- tor, for his wife was the daughter of Chief Justice Stewart, .one of the Proprietors, and a cousin of another of them, Robert Stewart. So he settled in this secluded spot, busy- ing himself with the cares of his house- hold. attending to his religious duties and falling back for companionship upon his books.

It will be readily understood that his vis- its to the outlying portions of the Island were few and far between and that such of the inhabitants as required his services had to come to him, not he go to them. Save at Charlottetown and at points within compara- tively easy reach the protestant population had for twenty years at least to do without ministrations except at rare intervals. The Acadians at Malpeque and the Highlanders at St. Andrews were in a somewhat better state, for though denied civil rights they enjoyed the privilege of having a zealous and devoted priest, the Rev. James McDon- ald, to minister to their spiritual needs.

In I 781 the Parish of Charlotte was reg- ularly constituted by local statute (21 Geo. III Cap. Io). This statute provided that the parishioners should meet on Tuesday of Whitsuntide of each year and elect “six of the fittest and best qualified men in the par- ish” to be vestrymen. These with the Rec- tor were to choose from their number two wardens, “which Church Vestry and War- dens shall have such power and authority for the benefit of the church as are usually exercised by the Church Wardens and Ves- try of the parish churches of England.”

One of their most important responsi—